Lenfest Hall completes a “Curtis corridor” along Locust Street from Rittenhouse Square to the Avenue of the Arts, where the Curtis Symphony Orchestra and Curtis Opera Theatre perform regularly at the Kimmel Center.

Photo: Curtis's historic main building at 1726 Locust Street, which will remain in essential use. (photographer: Pete Checchia)

KEY FEATURES

32 teaching studios, chamber music rehearsal rooms, classrooms, and practice rooms--doubling the amount of practice and rehearsal space currently available to Curtis students, all of it soundproof and secure

24/7 access to dedicated practice spaces for all student residents

A 2,850-square-foot acoustically designed rehearsal hall for the Curtis Symphony Orchestra--nearly three times the size of the previous rehearsal space

Comfortable, safe housing for more than 80 students--nearly half the student body

Relief of scheduling pressures on Curtis's historic buildings--classes, lessons, and rehearsals will be split between Lenfest Hall and the existing facilities

VSBA's design is contextual and contemporary, honoring the streetscape of a venerable historic block while celebrating the 21st-century evolution of Curtis

Photo, above: The new teaching and rehearsal spaces were designed with instrument-specific needs in mind. The percussion studio includes triple-glazed windows for sound insulation. (photographer: Matt Wargo)

Photo, right: The 2,850-square-foot orchestra rehearsal hall--nearly three times the size of the previous rehearsal space. (photographer: Tom Crane)

BUILDING DETAILS

First Floor: THE COMMONS

One of the building's main social centers, the Commons includes a comfortable lounge looking out onto historic St. Mark's Church, as well as a dining hall that is open to the Curtis community seven days a week.

Second Floor: ORCHESTRA REHEARSAL HALL AND TEACHING STUDIOS

A 2,850-square-foot, acoustically designed rehearsal hall accommodates a full orchestra for the largest-scale core repertoire, with state-of-the-art video, audio, and Internet2 capabilities. Teaching studios for percussion, double bass, and harp are located adjacent to the rehearsal hall.

Third Floor: STUDIOS AND CLASSROOMS FOR TEACHING, REHEARSAL, AND PRACTICE

Studios for teaching, practice, and chamber music rehearsal enable Curtis to meet the practice needs of every student, whether living in the residence hall or off-campus.

Fourth Floor: ORCHESTRA LIBRARY, STUDIOS, AND CLASSROOMS

The Orchestra Library houses all performance materials, scores, and parts used for orchestra rehearsals and concerts. The fourth floor also includes studios for teaching, practice, and rehearsals.

Fifth Floor: STUDENT SOCIAL CENTER AND DANNENBAUM TERRACE

A media/entertainment room opens onto an outdoor terrace overlooking Locust Street. Landscaped by renowned garden designer Jon Carloftis, the Dannenbaum Terrace includes native plantings as well as herbs and vegetables to be used in meals served in the dining hall.

Sixth through Ninth Floors: STUDENT RESIDENCES

Each suite includes four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and common/social space.

Generous donors have named many of the studios and common spaces within Lenfest Hall. For complete information, see Plans and Renderings.

Photo: The fifth floor terrace serves as a social center and includes a green roof around the perimeter. (photographer: Matt Wargo)

PROJECT FUNDING

A generous $30 million challenge grant from the Lenfests accelerated the funding for the project.

Curtis met the challenge, completing a $65 million campaign to fund the project.

Curtis received gifts from more than 60 donors in support of the challenge grant, including 100 percent participation from the Board of Trustees and a $15 million RACP grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.